The Northampton Street foodie destination is searching for someone to fill a newly vacant space, which opened after the Fruit & Nut Gallery closed last week.

The market hasn't yet put out an official call for a new vendors, but Easton Market District Director Megan McBride said several businesses have already expressed interest.

"We're anxious to see what proposals come in," she said.

McBride said the market is leaning toward leasing the space to a retail business, rather than a ready-to-eat vendor, to maintain the balance of dining and shopping options.

"We don't want to be just a food hall," she said.

The space is large enough that the market would also consider splitting the area for two different vendors, McBride said. They hope to land on a permanent replacement (or replacements) by the end of January.

In the meantime, the space will host a temporary "pop-up shop" from the Easton home goods store Mercantile Home for the holidays. In keeping with the market's culinary theme, the pop-up shop, called Mercantile Outpost, will focus on kitchen items and food-related products along the lines of tea towels, beer totes and cheeseboards, McBride said.

Another pop-up shop from Eight Oaks Distillery had been teased at the space, but those plans have been canceled.

Fruit & Nut Gallery, formerly Youssef's Fruit & Nut Gallery, opened as one of the market's original vendors in April 2016. The stand sold a variety of dried fruits, exotic nuts and more.

But after original owner Youssef Ghobrial came down with an illness, McBride said, family members took over the business. They weren't sure whether to continue with the concept.

"They were trying to make a decision of whether to turn it into something else, or whether to pull out all together, and they decided the latter," McBride said.

This isn't the first changeover the market has seen. Last year, Debbie's Pie in the Sky was replaced by Barred & Broody Bakeshop after the former closed for personal reasons.

The market's hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, though some vendors are open for additional hours.